No Greater Fear
by razorREO
Summary: Cats hate getting wet! So does Chance...His mission could be jeopardized because of it. Lives are on the line. Can Chance fight this phobia and rescue them before they are killed? Rating changed to due possible events in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1: The Horrid Truth

**This is another fanfiction I've been doing to pass the time while getting inspiration for 'High School Havoc'. I'm just taking a short break. **

**Two kats with opposing phobias. One swims, the other flies. Neither can exist in each other's world, yet we watch as they make it work. **

_"Doctor Marley! We can't make it! The tripus is gonna drag us under!" _

_"Hold fast lad! The day is not yet over!" The sound of a crashing wave erupted through the tv speakers, followed by a scream. _

In front of the tv, watching intently sat Baylee Bruin.

_"Doctor! He's..dead!" _

_"What was his name?" _

_"I...don't know sir." The roar of the three-legged octopus sounded and there was another scream._

_"We're losing too many men! Fall back! Fall back! To the life boats! Ahhhh!"_

A life-like voice beside Baylee tore her attention away.

"How can you _stand_ this show?" It was Chance.

Baylee shushed him, "This is the best part! Kaptain Koru's gonna bash the tripus against the rocks and crush it!"

From the tv a man said boldly, "Abandon ship!"

"Kaptain Koru! There's room in our boat! Come on, quickly!"

"Go on without me men! I must tame this sea-monster!"

"Kaptain!"

"Go!"

The roar of the tripus sounded again, and was washed out with the roar of the waves. A man screamed as he was washed over board into the murky blue depths. Chance covered his eyes with a hand, parting his fingers to peek through in spite of the fact he didn't want to see it. The drowning Kaptain cried out in terror and Chance closed his fingers together again.

The voice of the narrator spoke, "The sea took all of their lives that day, but Kaptain Koru's legend of the tripus' treasure lives on!" The program ended.

"How can you like someth'n like that?" Chance asked after the tv was safely turned off. Baylee ejected the VHS tape from the machine and slid it back into it's box.

"I used to watch that show as a kitten, Chance. I've always had a thing for the ocean, water in general really. 'Really wish I'd joined the Coast Gaurd instead of the Enforcers, but I guess I can't change that now. -Oh! Speaking of water, Callie invited all three of us over to her apartment. They have an indoor pool. You wanna come?"

"U-um..."

"-Come on! It'll be fun!" Before Chance could resist Baylee had him by the arm and was leading him up the stairs of the auto shop.

"Jake! We have five minutes to get everything thrown together. You about ready?" Baylee asked, poking her head into the bedroom.

Jake nodded, "Just about done, Baylee. I doubt Chance will want to come though."

"Why?" Baylee asked, arching a brow.

"Tell ya later. Come on, let's go. I'll drive if ya want." Jake replied, hussling out through the door.

"Hey guys, I was hoping all of you would be able to make it." Callie greeted them.

"Hey Callie." Jake replied, raising a hand. Callie closed the door behind them as they walked into her apartment.

"Make yourselves at home. The pool is downstairs. I'll get changed and we'll go when you're ready." she said curtiously. Jake blushed. He loved the way Callie clasped her hands together when she was excitedly making plans for something. Chance seemed to be enjoying it too, when Baylee gave him a nudge in the side and motioned to the bathrooms. There were two.

"You two go first." Jake offered to the she-kats with a chivalrous bow. Chance, not willing to be outdone by his buddy darted ahead to open the door for Callie.

Callie walked through the doorway with a toss of her blonde hair, "Thanks Chance."

Chance grinned, bumping Jake in the shoulder lightly with a fist, "Didn't I tell ya? Every time."

"What are you talking about, Chance?" Jake asked, masaging his shoulder. There'd be a nice bruise there by tomorrow for sure.

"The way she gets that look in her eye. She likes me Jake. I can feel it." Chance replied, blushing.

"Nah, that's just the out-of-date sardines from lunch, Chance." That was the last of the conversation that Baylee heard as she walked into the other bathroom shaking her head.

"Cannonball!" Jake announced loudly as he took a plunge off the diving board. With a perfect splash he landed in the clear water and resurfaced, flinging the water from his fur with a flick of his head.

"Coming gals?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Aces!" Baylee exclaimed, running more boldly than naught to the edge and diving in like a knife. With far more graceful ladylike poise than that of Baylee, Callie sprung from the diving board, doing a perfect somersault in mid-air. As she came down she landed squarely on Jake's waiting arms. Callie blushed as red as her swimsuit.

"Good catch Jake!" Baylee congratulated him from the other side of the pool.

"Ready? Three, two, one...!" Callie let out a playful squeal as Jake tossed her into the water. Baylee pirrhouetted in the water and came to a calm float on her back.

"Chance! Come on you drongo! What are you waiting for?" She called with a wave of her hand. Chance hesitated, swaying on his feet. If he stayed in the shallow end where he could stand, maybe he'd be alright. Stiffly he stepped a foot down into the water. A chill rang through his body. It had nothing to do with cold. The water was invitingly warm. Chance shivered regardless. Slowly he stepped down into the water. Gradually...ever so slowly the water rose up around his body. It came about as high as his lower chest. He was visibly trembling as Baylee swam up to him.

"Chance, what's the matter with you, mate?" Baylee asked, coming alongside him. She took him by the arm and led him deeper into the water. A cold chill rang up Chance's spine. He scrambled backwards.

"No! Wait!" He yelped. His fur stood on end fearfully. Baylee stood in the water, utterly bewildered. She'd never seen Chance act like this.

"What's wrong with you, mate?" She asked, trying to pull him into the water.

"It's just a little water. It's bloody safe." She insisted. She could feel Chance trembling as she held his arm. Chance stood his ground. His brown eyes were wide as saucers. Baylee sighed. She splashed a little water on him.

"Come on, what's your deal, Chance?" She inquired. Willfully she pulled him into the water. Chance struggled frantically.

"Baylee, no! Don't! Stop it! Let go!" He shouted as the water came up to his neck now. He couldn't move like normal in the restricting water. Baylee, much more at ease in the water, was dragging him out. As Chance tried to put his foot down on the pool floor to pull back he discovered only empty water. Now panic set in. He wrenched himself free of Baylee's grasp and scrambled back into the shallow water. He didn't dare stop until he'd reached the pool ladder and was clinging to it for dear life with both hands, claws unsheathed and digging into the metal. He was trembling violently now, unable to stop. To Baylee, Callie, and Jake, he looked scared to death. He was.

"Chance, buddy. You alright?" Jake asked worriedly, swimming up to him. Chance nodded, still trembling violently. He climbed the ladder and wrung the water from his tail as he tried to calm down. Callie swam alongside Jake and gazed in bewilderment at Chance. Chance couldn't meet her eyes. He started off around the pool. Getting out of there was all he could think of at the moment. Jake called after him. Chance broke into a run, retreating out of the room and letting the glass door swing slowly around behind him as he fled.

Several levels above in Callie's apartment Chance slumped down onto the brown leather sofa. He couldn't tell her. She'd think he was a wimp, or worse. He shuddered. He seemed so close to getting her to like him. No way was he going to let some stupid water prevent that. He slipped into the blue tube shirt he'd worn earlier and made up his mind to just stay in the apartment. Then another thought stopped him in his tracks. What would Callie think if he stayed here the whole time like a scared kitten in a thunderstorm?

He didn't need to wonder. At that moment the apartment door unlocked and opened. Callie, in a beach-towel and sandals entered the apartment.

"Chance, what is wrong with you? Why did you run off like that?" She inquired with a tone that demanded an immediate and satisfactory answer. Chance's voice abandoned him. All he could do was stammer.

"I-I was just...I...uh..." He wasn't making much sense. Callie obviously didn't get her desired answer. She sighed, sweeping her wet hair over her shoulder.

"Are you afraid of water or something?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. Chance's breath caught in his throat. So she was onto him, but it was probably too easy to figure him out anyway.

"No!...I mean, yes...I mean...! Uh..." He sounded as nervous as a convicted murderer at his own trial.

"I-I'm fine..." He lied. "I'll be right down."

Callie gave a nod and turned to go. With a click of the apartment door she was gone. Chance gave a furious groan that turned into a growl and whipped off the tube-shirt and chucked it against the wall. How was he supposed to hide the fact he couldn't swim when the possibility that he could drown hung over him like the surface of the water?

**Like I said, this doesn't mean 'High School Havoc' has been put aside. Just a break. **


	2. Chapter 2: Flashback

_"Come on, Chance. Don't be afraid. I'll help you." Chance looked up at Mrs Furlong as she held out a hand from inside the pool. She took his small hand and pulled him closer to the edge of the water._

_"Come on, son. Hop in." She urged softly. Chance pulled back, shaking his head. Mrs Furlong gave a sigh._

_"Well, let me know when you're ready." She told him. Chance sat down on the very edge as his mother swam away. The water looked so deep and scary, lapping against the side of the pool. Kats his age paddled around in the water, splashing each other and laughing. It looked like fun. He moved closer to the edge, watching them with eager brown eyes. The kats in the water made it look so easy. He put out a hand, suddenly feeling empty air beneath him. _

_Shock rang through him like a lightning bolt. Chance cried out as he lost his grip on the wet concrete and fell headlong into the pool. With a smack he hit the chilly water. Suddenly he couldn't move properly. He couldn't see, his eyes tightly squeezed shut. He couldn't breathe, only sucking water up his nose. His claws raked through the water, getting no traction to force him to the surface. He felt like he was doing somersaults beneath the water. Fear surged through his pounding young heart like a blade. It felt like he was paddling alone in that darkness forever. _

_Then something grabbed him around the chest and yanked him upwards. With a blast of cold he felt the air on his fur again. His rescuer set him down on the firm cement. Mrs Furlong was beside him in an instant, her arms around him. Chance shivered with cold, the nightmare reoccuring over and over in his mind. He hid his face beneath her neck and cried fearfully. It wasn't for shame. He was only five._

Now Chance blinked back to the present. It was like daja vu. He was there again, sitting on the edge of the pool. Baylee, Callie, and Jake were in the water. Chance shuddered. The water looked so daunting even now. Baylee swam up to him smoothly like a knife through the water.

"Chance, you alright, mate?" She asked, putting her arms on the edge. Chance hesitated as though his response required a good bit of thought. Then he just nodded.

"I'm fine. Here, look out." He muttered. Baylee moved out of the way. Chance carefully dropped down into the shallow water, trying to conceal the fact that he was shaking all over. Baylee waded after him.

"Jake and I were planning to play some volleyball. You game?" She asked. Chance agreed. How bad could that be? Callie and Jake set up the net across the shallow end of the pool from one side to the other.

"Almost done." Jake stated, puffing some more air into the inflatable beach ball.

"Girls vs boys?" Callie suggested. Jake's brow raised. He kind of hoped that he and Callie could be a team. Callie glanced his way and seemed to change her mind.

"Or...not?" She added.

"I'll take Miss Briggs." Chance called before Jake could raise a hand. Jake scowled. Callie swam under the net to Chance's side, throwing Jake a longing glance. Baylee joined Jake's side.

"Alright, let's get this ball into play!" She exclaimed. Jake served first, smacking it over the net with everything he had. The multi-colored ball flew over the net and was returned by Callie. The sphere came hurdling back. Baylee darted through the water, sending up a wave. With a loud smack the ball flew back towards Callie. Callie swatted it once more. This time Jake took his turn, slapping it into the air with a spray of water droplets flying behind it.

"Whew...! That was close." Baylee remarked to Jake.

"Yeah, Callie packs quite a punch." Jake replied, springing forward to smack the ball back over the net. Chance realized the ball was coming for him this time. He backed up to get under it. He was beginning to realise his skills at this were better on land. He clasped both hands into a joined fist over his head and punched the ball back over the net. It whizzed in between Jake and Baylee and splashed into the water, bobbing a distance away.

"Nice save, Chance!" Baylee was the first to say. Jake gave her a glance as he picked up the ball.

"I'm gonna have to question your loyalty on that one miss Bruin." He stated, sending the ball into play again. Chance saw it hurdling towards him again. This time it was too late to stop it. He took a hasty step back in an effort to hit it. Suddenly the floor beneath his foot dropped away as he inadvertantly stepped into the deeper end. That old familiar fear shocked like a lightning bolt up his body to his head. Then reality punched him in the face. All of a sudden he was underwater again, reliving that horrid nightmare. Before Chance even knew what was happening a firm hand grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the deep end. Fresh air surrounded Chance at last. He came up coughing uncontrollably, shaking from fright. He wanted for all the world to climb out of this horror show onto solid ground.

"You okay, buddy?" Jake was behind him, a hand still grasping his arm. Chance wrenched his arm away and stormed to the ladder, forcing the the water resentfully. He hated every deadly molecule of it.

"Here we go again." He heard Baylee mutter. He stopped. Baylee was right. Chance sighed heavily. He couldn't walk away again.

"Chance, what is wrong with you?" Callie asked, coming up to him.

"Why does it seem like every time you go under the water you act like you're going to die?!" She was nearly shouting. Her eyes started peircingly at Chance. Chance felt himself melt under her gaze. What was he supposed to tell her? _Cause I am..._ he thought.

"I do _not_!" He retorted, snapping at her.

"Yes...you do." Callie replied. She looked hurt.

"Chance, we just want to know what's wrong, mate. You don't have to shout at us." Baylee stated, coming alongside Callie.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." Chance responded swiftly, hands balling into fists beneath the water.

"Chance...you can tell them. They won't judge you." Jake told him.

"I said I was fine!" Chance shouted, turning around and stalking away, ears back in anger. He climbed the ladder and stormed away, kicking a box full of chlorine on his way by. He plunked down on the end of one of the benches on the far side of the room and stayed there. He glared hatefully at the concrete floor. How the heck was he supposed to tell them?

"They're too dense to figure it out anyway..." He muttered, gritting his teeth. He knew for fact now that he wasn't getting back into that pool again. It felt like an hour passed. Callie and Jake grew tired of swimming at long last and left the pool room. Baylee stayed in the water, stroking across the surface of the water. Chance got up, watching her duck under the water. How did she make it look so simple...? Chance paced around the edge of the pool. Why was it so hard for him?

**So...sorry I haven't been sticking to this. I've been busy. Hope you enjoyed it. Review if you want to. I appreciate every comment, especially constructive critisicm. If you liked it, fav it. ;) -Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3: Chance's First Swim Lesson

It all happened so fast. One second he was walking along the edge, the next he had stepped onto the plastic pool filter. In a hasty effort to get off of it before he crushed it, he lost his balance and fell over the edge of the pool. Fear shocked through his chest as the water enveloped him. All of sudden his senses were soffocated. A dull roar numbed his hearing all around him. He couldn't see. He couldn't breath. The pressure was intense as he felt himself sinking. It felt like forever, though it had only been three or four seconds. Impulsively he started scrambling to grab onto something solid. His struggling hands grasped only water.

At last he broke the watery surface and a blast of cold air stung his drenched face. Then down beneath the water he returned, flailing his arms helplessly. He forced himself back upwards, gasping and wheezing as water filled his mouth, streaming down into his throat. Before he could cough it back up he was dunked once more. Gasping for air he lunged upwards again. Was he right-side up or upside-down? He could no longer tell. He scrambled for the surface once more, coughing uncontrollably as water forced it's way into his gasping mouth. Once more he was doused into the 11-foot water. His lungs were screaming for air. His mind felt numb as the oxygen left his body. Everything faded to darkness. Suddenly he felt even colder. Then subconciously he felt something stir in the water beside him. An arm wrapped around his chest and hauled him upward. Then he lost conciousness entirely.

Baylee swept her right arm back behind her and propelled herself to the surface of the water, her left arm wrapped around Chance. She broke the surface with a gasp of fresh air and hauled Chance out of the water onto the concrete edge. She managed to push him up onto the edge. One hand atop the other she pressed both on Chance's chest and pushed, forcing a thin stream of water from his lips.

"Come on Chance! Come on! Don't do this to me mate! Oh come on!" Baylee begged. Chance lurched and turned onto his side, coughing up an impossible amount of water. His brown eyes opened and met her green ones.

Baylee sighed in relief, "You alright mate?" Chance nodded, uttering a few more hoarse watery coughs before standing shakily. Baylee got to her feet and wrung the water from her hair.

"What were you thinking? What happened?!"

Chance looked down at his feet, "I..." The use of his voice caused a bit more coughing. "I just...I'll 'tell you later."

As he turned to go Baylee's hand gripped his shoulder, "Tell me now." She replied firmly.

Chance sighed, "...I can't swim." He muttered crossly.

"Oh." Baylee replied in a low tone of voice, "Well that explains everything." To her, Chance looked embarassed, timid, and defensive. She sighed in pity, her wet bangs falling over her eyes.

"It's alright, mate. I don't judge you." She reassured him. Chance just shook his head and started off. Baylee grabbed his arm.

"Wait." She nodded towards the pool. "Get in the shallow end." She told him. Chance's eyes shot open wide.

"What?!" He exclaimed, pulling away. Baylee held him fast.

"Just do it. Trust me, mate." She told him firmly. She felt Chance involuntarily shudder.

"Baylee, you know why I can't..." Chance pleaded.

"-Listen up, Chance." Baylee was using her military voice now, "If you walk away now you'll never be able to face it. Do you understand me?"

"But-"

"-I know you can't, Chance. That's why I'm gonna make it so that you can." Baylee replied. Before Chance could even resist Baylee half-dragged him to the ladder.

"Go ahead." She told him. Chance took a deep breath of courage and climbed down into the water. The menacing sensation of the water all around him made a shiver ricochette through his body. Baylee jumped in after him, splashing up a little water. Chance turned aside as the spray hit his face.

"Okay, now first things first, I'm gonna show you what to do with your arms." Baylee instructed.

"Watch what I'm doing." She began moving her arms in and out in the water, parting the surface of the water with every gentle stroke.

"Then you just start kicking your feet, try keeping them under the water if you can." She explained, swimming away from him a distance and coming right back. Just before she got to him she ducked under the water and came up in front of him. Chance backed up from the spray of water, shaking like a leaf. Baylee huffed, tilting her head.

"You've gotta loosen up, mate." She came up behind him in the waist-deep water, taking his shoulders in both hands. In spite of his fears, Chance blushed crimson.

"If you tell yourself you're gonna sink when you jump in, then you're bloody well gonna sink." She told him, pushing him gently, not forcefully, down into the water. She felt Chance's whole body tense up.

"Baylee, don't. Let go!" Chance begged. Baylee just moved his arms apart in the water.

"Think of it this way. You're in the air, -not water. You're defying gravity in both places, water and sky." She explained.

"Oh, so all I have to do is defy gravity." Chance replied in a trembling voice. "What's the next step? Split atoms?"

"No, you dill. A jet has to keep itself in the air somehow. And a boat or ship works the same way. Get what I'm saying?" Baylee asked.

"N-not really. A jet kind of keeps itself in the air with different-sized turbines...all moving together in the engine with...just enough fuel being supplied every second to give it lift...so I'm not really sure how that has anything to do with swimming..." Chance muttered. Baylee's lip pooched as she scowled ahead of her.

"Men and machinery." She mumbled.

"The point is, mate, you move the water. You're in command over the water, not the water in the command over you. Just like you're in command over the air when you fly. Now is it clear?" She stated.

"Can we just get on with it?" Chance sighed. Baylee nodded.

"Fair dinkum." She pulled him over to the side and put his hands on the edge. Then she grabbed onto the edge as well.

"Just work on kicking in the water, so I know you've got it down." She told him, demonstrating. She observed Chance as he tried it. When she seemed satisfied she told him to stop. This time she led him out into the middle of the shallow end of the pool.

"Alright, now try doing what I was doing with my arms." Baylee explained. She watched as Chance timidly tried to mimic what she had done earlier. Finally she clasped her hands together.

"Ace." She moved forward in the water, pushing him further out into the deeper end. "Keep it up. Don't forget to kick."

"H-hold on! Wait..!" Chance resisted, bracing his feet against the floor of the pool and standing up.

"You didn't say anything about going into the deep end!" He exclaimed. Baylee sighed hotly, pushing him down into the water.

"Of course I didn't, you never would have gotten into the water if I told you that!" She took him on both sides and led him out deeper. Chance's claws were out as far as they could go. He was tense like a stone statue. Gradually he managed to get his arms to work for him, spreading the water apart as he propelled himself forward. His feet kicked behind him, sending up a spray. He barely noticed when Baylee let go. That was what got him. All of a sudden there was nothing holding him up. Fear and panic shot through his chest like a knife. The numbers '11 ft' were a blur past his eyes. Suddenly his head dropped under the water. He scrambled wildly as the nightmare happened all over again. He clenched his eyes shut. The chlorine burned his eyes. The water flooded his lungs. He struggled for the surface, but couldn't seem to find it. Like a lightning bolt Baylee was at his side again. She grabbed him swiftly and yanked him to the surface. All at once Chance could breath again. Gasping for air he choked on water and sent himself into a frenzy of coughing.

Baylee once again pulled him up onto the edge of the pool. She put a hand on his back.

"You okay there?" She asked. Chance was shaking so hard the water around him tremored. He wheezed as the water caught in his throat. His blonde fur was soaking wet and plastered to his body. He rested his forehead against the edge of the pool, hiding his face. It was no bother trying to hide it. Baylee realized in a heartbeat that her tough, made-of-stone friend was in tears. She sighed guiltily, putting her arm around him.

"Sorry about that, mate..." She appologized.

"...Don't ever do that again..." Chance replied, his voice muffled.

"...I won't." Baylee complied, rubbing his brown-striped back gently. As she spoke Jake and Callie entered the room. Their conversation came to a halt as soon as they saw Chance and Baylee in the water. Jake didn't hesitate to dart to the pool's edge. Callie followed in confusion.

"Buddy...? Baylee? What happened?" Jake asked, kneeling on the edge of the pool. Chance kept his face concealed in his arms, shameful of breaking down in front of a girl.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed him that hard." Baylee confessed.

"What are you talking about?" Callie asked, now thoroughly bewildered.

"Chance...can't swim." Jake replied, standing up.

**So the beans have been spilled. What's Callie gonna say to **_**this**_**? **


	4. Chapter 4: One Bowl, Two Spoons

"Oh..." Realization flashed in Callie's eyes. Then it turned into guilt. Baylee wasn't the only one who'd been pressing him to nearly drown. Chance climbed out of the pool, his mind feeling numb. All Callie had said was 'Oh'.

What was that supposed to mean? He didn't know. What he _did_ know was that no she-kat he'd ever met would go for somebody who was scared of something like water. So that was it then. His chances were blown. (No pun intended). He walked stiffly towards the door, head hanging, shoulders drooped. His wet tail dragged the concrete behind him. Bereftly he pushed open the door and slipped out without a word.

Callie followed, breaking into a jog to race after him. She grabbed his arm with both hands and held him fast.

"I'm sorry for everything, Chance. I didn't know...I never meant to..." She tried to appologise. Chance looked at her in shock. She wasn't dissapointed...? He blinked in confusion and Callie smiled.

"Can you forgive me? Us?" Callie pleaded. Chance couldn't resist those sea-green eyes. He grinned a little.

"Sure thing, Miss Briggs." He replied, enjoying every moment that Callie's delicate hands clutched his arm. He was almost sorry when she let go. Callie brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"I was thinking maybe we could all do downtown afterwhile. Want to come? The Mayor won't need me for another hour." She asked. Chance beamed. Was she asking him out...maybe...in a way? He could have sworn he had a set of wings all of a sudden. He felt like rocketting around the room from sheer pleasure.

"If you don't mind..." He stammered at last, blushing cherry as a nervous grin rose on his features. Jake and Baylee opened the glass door and joined them in the lobby. Baylee couldn't meet Chance's eyes.

"Sorry about that, mate." Was all she said. Chance didn't quite connect with her emotionally. Callie's existance beside him blotted out everything else. He just shrugged, unable to take his eyes off of Callie. Jake watched him with a brow raised. Chance wasn't himself and Jake knew why. The 'reason' came alongide Jake and linked arms with him. Jake instantly saw Chance's enhanced expression grow dim and fade to that of dissapointment that was as plain to see as the stripes on his arms.

"I was just telling Chance that we should go downtown for a bit." Callie told Jake, smiling sweetly at him. Jake blushed.

"Sure, Callie. That sounds great." He replied. The two headed for the elevator.

"Let's get changed and we'll go." Callie was saying.

"Coming you two?" She called after Chance and Baylee. Baylee gave Chance an interrogatory glance and nodded.

"That sounds like a fair go." She complied, striding lightly onto the elevator. Chance followed, stifling a heavy sigh.

A few minutes later Callie pulled up in front of the Catnip-Cone Ice Cream Parlor. They entered two on two. Baylee and Jake, and Callie somewhat behind Chance.

"Nice choice, Callie. I prefer this place myself." Chance told her.

"It was just what was close by." Callie replied, sweeping her hair with a slender hand. Chance pulled open the door with a generous macho air about him.

"After you." He told Callie. Callie dipped her head slightly in response.

"Thanks, Chance." She replied, stepping through into the chilly ice cream parlor. Baylee followed her, companied by Jake.

"Every time." Chance whispered to Jake who shot him a glance. Chance followed Jake inside, joining the three at the counter.

"What do you say, Callie? That catnip-chip looks pretty good." He offered, pointing it out on the overhead menu. Callie nodded.

"It does." She agreed.

"One cup, two spoons? And money's no object." Chance suggested, reaching for his wallet.

"Oh, that's alright, Chance, but I can pay for my own. I think I'll go with the vanilla swirl anyway." Callie replied quickly, stepping serepticiously over to Jake. Chance found himself stranded. He let his wallet slip back down into his pocket. He almost missed it when a familiar voice spoke up beside him.

"You all good, mate?" Baylee was asking. Chance looked up and found her close at hand.

"Yeah. Fine." He muttered crossly.

"I'm not too good with the appologies..." Baylee explained.

"What...? Oh, no. It's not that." Chance replied. He glanced over to where Jake and Callie were taking a seat at a table for two with a cup of vanilla, two spoons visible over the cup's paper rim. He growled silently. Baylee saw his lip curl in disgust. A lightbulb went off in her head.

"I can see why you have a thing for her." She stated. Chance arched a brow.

"What are you talking about?" He snapped somewhat harshly. Baylee wasn't taken aback. She shrugged.

"No, what are you saying? Come on. I wanna know." Chance urged, getting angry.

"Oh do I have to spell it out for you in bold, mate? You like her, don't you, you dill!" Baylee whispered loudly.

"I do not!" Chance denied, folding his arms across his chest in defiance. Baylee just looked at him and nodded knowingly.

"Your secret's safe with me." She reassuringly patted his arm and paused, acting as though something dawned on her.

"But...I doubt it's much of a secret, is it?" She asked, fully knowing the answer. She looked up at Chance, her dark green eyes peering right through him.

"Just order your thing for kat's sake." Chance muttered as though to say 'This conversation is over'. Baylee examined the menu.

"How about the catnip-chip?" She suggested. "One cup, two spoons?"

Chance gaped at her. How the heck had she heard? Coincidence maybe? Either way, it didn't matter. He retrieved his wallet from the depths of his pocket.

"And money's no object." He went along with it, flipping the wallet open and pulling out a ten.

**I think this was a little short...but anywho. This seemed like more than a suitable place to end the chapter. Hopefully I will have another chapter for you guys soon. **


	5. Chapter 5: Slash Gets Her Wings

**Sorry it took so long!**

_Three days later..._

Baylee slipped her mask over her head and secured it tightly in the back. She fitted her helmet onto her head and slapped a boomerang to her belt.

"Ready?" T-Bone asked her, donning a helmet.

"Sure, ace. But before we start, let me ask you: What are we doing?" Baylee, now as her alias Slash, inquired. T-Bone climbed the ladder that cheated from the underside of the Turbokat's wing.

"Teaching you how to fly the Turbokat." He replied, climbing into the cockpit and adjusting the seat.

"Hop in." He called down to her. Slash hesitated, then forced herself to climb the ladder, drawing it up after her until the hidden panel beneath the wing clicked shut. She approached the cockpit nervously. _He _does_ know that I'm acrophobic...doesn't he?_ She wondered. She sat down on the seat, T-Bone right behind her. She was short enough that T-Bone could see over her helmet easily. She blushed awkwardly as T-Bone put an arm around her to hold the joystick, the other to slide the canopy shut. Suddenly Slash felt claustrophobic. Her heart begin to thud. T-Bone's voice over her shoulder calmed her fears.

"What do you think you do first?" He asked.

"S-start the engines...?" Slash replied nervously.

"And go through the wall? Heck no!" T-Bone responded. He pulled out a remote and pressed the button. The floor lowered beneath them. The Turbokat rode it down to the lower level and rotated to face the open door of the tunnel.

"_Now_ you start the engines. Go ahead."

"Me?!"

"Yes, you. This is the _only_ way you learn." T-Bone stated. With a shaking finger Slash pressed the button to start the engine; then the second, and at last the third. The noise was a dull roar in her helmet-protected ears.

"Alright, we're not dead yet." T-Bone said teasingly.

"Now give it some thrust." He directed. Slash gripped the lever and shoved it forward. Suddenly T-Bone's hand covered her own.

"Easy, easy...don't blow us up." He told her. Slash's heart was a mallet drumming in her chest. It bounded into her throat.

"Sorry..."

"Don't worry. It's okay. You're doing fine." T-Bone reassured her. The engine's whirred louder. Slowly they started moving forward up the tunnel. Slash's heart started beating at the pace of the William Tell Overture. The jet moved faster, and increasing speed with every second it seemed. T-Bone's hand clasped Slash's own and eased the lever forward. The jet went faster.

"Chance...!" Slash gasped, her breath coming in short from the G-forces. The small rectangle of light at the end of the tunnel grew nearer and larger as the opening slid back. Slash closed her eyes and ground her teeth together.

"Get your hands on the joystick, Slash! You're piloting her!" T-Bone's voice shouted to her. Slash's numb mind went into overdrive. Her eyes shot open and she grabbed the joystick with both hands. Like a cannonball the Turbokat rocketted out of the tunnel. T-Bone guided Slash's hands on the joystick, pulling up far above the salvage yard. Slash told herself not to look down and as aresult, she looked down. Suddenly she felt queasy.

"Crikey!" She panted.

"Chance..." Came her whimper.

"T-Bone. Now calm down. You don't have to be ham-handed with it." T-Bone corrected. Slash calmed herself, breathing a sigh. She reclined back, feeling T-Bone's chest against her and realizing it suddenly. She quickly sat up, turning beet red.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, but you might wanna watch where you're going." T-Bone replied quickly. Slash looked up just in time to see that they were closing fast on water tower. She jerked the joystick hard right. The Turbokat did a barrel-roll, launching upwards into the sky. T-Bone managed to pull them away from the water tower in time, steering the jet smoothly at ease.

"Easy, Slash! Easy! You've gotta calm down." He told Slash.

"Chance...mate, we gotta go back. I can't do this..." Slash panted heavily from fright.

"Like swimming, Slash. You tell yourself you're gonna sink, you'll sink." T-Bone replied. That got Slash to smile a little.

"-And it's _T-Bone_." T-Bone added, correcting her.

"Alright...what now?" Slash asked, catching her breath.

"Now? Avoid that building for starts." T-Bone respinded. Slash gasped, grapping the joystick with both hands about to jerk it again. This time T-Bone managed to slow her down, his hand gripping hers and guiding it. T-Bone recovered the jet, steering them both to safety.

"You don't have to be rough with it, Baylee." He told her.

"Sorry..." Slash replied, her hands trembling beneath his. T-Bone's grip on her hands tightened gently.

"You're gonna be okay, Slash." He reassured her.

"I know, just don't tell me to look down." Slash pleaded.

"No problem." T-Bone replied with a half-smile.

"I'm gonna let you fly on your own. Don't lose it, just stay calm." He warned her, taking his hands off of hers. Slash tensed up.

"T-Bone...mate...I can't fly this thing. I don't know how!"

"I just showed you how. Here, just watch and learn for now." T-Bone replied. Slash moved her hands out of the way and T-Bone took control. The jet dipped down in between the buildings and Slash felt her stomach bounce up inside her mouth. The Turbokat glided smoothly in and out of the buildings and rocketed upwards into the clouds.

"Hang onto your lunch!" T-Bone told Slash. Instantly Slash's heart did a 180 turn and so did the jet. They dropped out of the blouds and hurdled towards the city below. Slash clenched her eyees shut.

"Yeah...about that..." She panted. T-Bone tilted the joystick and the jet did a barrel roll. Slash ground her teeth and choked down half-digested lunch that was desperately trying to escape her mouth.

"Chance...I think I'm gonna..." Her cheeks swelled. She swallowed hard.

"Mate...slow her down...I'm gonna toss some cookies if you don't!" She gasped. The Turbokat came smoothly to a level glide through the clouds.

"Better?" T-Bone asked.

"I hate you..." Slash muttered.

"Okay, ready to try again?"

"Can't we just go back?"

"You'd have to fly it there, and land it." T-Bone replied. Slash scoffed.

"Fine." She muttered, boldly taking the joystick, smacking his gloved hand away. Gently she steered the Turbokat down towards the city. The buildings came alongside them, speeding past in a blur. Carefully Slash pulled up from the city and out over the piers far below. She glided the jet down to the very surface of the water., sending a neat stream trailing behind each wingtip. Slash realied she wasn't trembling anymore. She was close to the water where she belonged. Easing back the joystick she pulled the Turbokat up from the water's surface and soared up into the sky. She forced down the smile on her face and tilted the joystick, doing a slow barrel roll and whipping the white clouds around them. Slash had to admit, this beat swimming by a mile.

"Alright, fair dinkum. Let's turn back, mate." She announced.

"Want me to land it?" T-Bone offered. Slash agreed.

"Good idea..."

They arrived back at the hangar as the sun was setting. The canopy slid back and T-Bone climbed out, offering a hand to Slash. Slash hesitated, then put her hand in his. With a quick motion of the arm he lifted her out onto the wing and slid the ladder down to the floor from beneath it. Both of them climbed down. Slash removed her helmet by the lockers, skaing her red-brown hair loose around her shoulders.

"Well that wasn't so bad was i-...!" T-Bone was stopped short as Baylee's hand whipped across his unprepared face like a lash with a resounding whack.

"That's for bloody scaring the fur off of me..." Slash hissed. T-Bone blinked in shock, a hand caressing his stinging cheek. Then to his ultimate shock Slash grabbed him by the collar and yanked him towards her as she stepped forward and softly kissed his other cheek. With that she pushed him back roughly and let him go.

"That's for...everything else. Thanks, mate." She stated, rubbing her arm. With that she strode off to change.

**Slash's experience here is kind of taken from my own experiences with roller coasters. And...of course you might recognise some How To Train Your Dragon references here...maybe just one. **


	6. Chapter 6: A Little Rain

**An idea I took and ran with, because of the flash-floods we've been having recently. **

Thunder crashed outside, preceded by the flash of lightning. Bright veins of electricity split the muggy night sky. Rain started coming down gradually until it had increased to the point of torrenting in sheets.

"It's a downpour out there!" Jake remarked from the doorway of the garage waiting room. Chance grabbed the garage door and pulled it down.

"Yeah, they were calling for it." He replied. Thunder rumbled outside like the roar of cannon-fire. Baylee cringed at the sudden loud noise, shifting on the cushion of the sofa. She turned the tv volume up a bar or two.

"I bet it's leaking upstairs." Jake remarked, coming back into the waiting room, followed by Chance.

"I'll check it out." Chance volunteered, leaving the room via the staircase. Jake joined Baylee on the sofa, observing the news as it was broadcasted on the tv.

"Whoa! Check out that news banner at the bottom of the screen..." He gasped, pointing. Baylee looked at the source of his surprise. The scrolling red banner was a weather alert.

"Yeah, mate. There'd be flash flood warnings for good reason in this kind of weather." Baylee replied, shrugging. Thunder roared again outside. The lights flickered momentarily before dying. Suddenly the room went dark and the two found themselves looking at a blank tv. Upstairs came Chance's 'Aw crud!' muffled by distance.

"Guess that's it for watching the news..." Jake stated, standing up. He pulled open a drawer and retrieved an item from it.

"This battery-powered radio should keep us posted if we need to know anything. And..." He tossed Baylee and flashlight.

"_That_ should definately come in handy." He added. Baylee turned on the flashlight and shined it around the room. Lightning flashed outside, lighting up everything for a split second before sending it into darkness again. Chance came down the stairs and, in spite of the dark Baylee could clearly tell he was annoyed.

"Is it dripping?" Jake asked.

"Yeah." Chance growled, kicking an empty milk can across the floor.

"Guess we just hang out here until this mess blows over." Baylee stated, shrugging.

"If it doesn't blow _us_ over first." Jake added. The rain was pouring so hard against the body shop that they almost didn't hear it. Suddenly the alarm went off in the garage.

"Oh what a perfect night for that!" Chance grumbled, slamming his fist against the reciever.

"Yes, Miss Briggs?" He replied.

"Swat kats! It's Hard Drive! He's attacking Megakat City. I don't know how but he's blowing buildings apart right and left with redirected lightning!" Callie exclaimed.

"Don't worry Callie. Razor's on it! See you when we get there!" Jake responded. Chance shot him a glance.

"Uh, right. T-Bone's on it too, Miss Briggs...we uh...yeah...-" Jake stuttered. Baylee grabbed him by the back of the collar.

"She's knows that! Move your tail!" She told him, stuffing him down the ladder to the hangar.

The Turbokat took off into the rain, forcing it's way against the driving wind. Down below Baylee commanded the Cyclotron, ducking down behind the windshield to avoid most of the pouring rain.

"How are we supposed to see anything in this mess?!" T-Bone shouted. Razor's watchful eye scanned ahead, spotting a massive tidal wave breaking over the beach shores towards the city.

"Crud! Another minute and the whole east side of the city's gonna be underwater!" He exclaimed, pressing the intercom button on his helmet.

"Slash, do you copy? There's a wave at 1:00! Come in!" He shouted hastily.

"I copy. Breaking off course. I'll rendezvous at the penthouse." Slash responded. Below the jet, Razor saw the cyclotron revert it's course and turn down an alley.

"10-4." Razor replied. Slash veered the Cyclotron down the alley and across the empty street. On her left she peripherally glimpsed the waves barelling towards her. She could do no more than gasp as the wall of water broadsided her.

"T-Bone, the scope-tracker has a lock on Hard Drive. He's two miles due northwest of the penthouse. That sector's going up like a lightbulb. Can't miss it." Razor informed T-Bone.

"Rodger that. Slash, come in." T-Bone signalled to Slash below. No response was recieved.

"Slash, do you copy? Slash! Slash, come in! Aw crud! Razor, we've lost Slash!" T-Bone exclaimed. Razor feared the worst.

"Set her down on one of those low rooftops down there. I'll check it out." He replied.

"That's a negative buddy. If one of the those waves comes over the breaker again, we're all goin under!" T-Bone retorted.

"You got a better idea?" Razor asked. T-Bone hesitated. There was no alternative.

"Negative, buddy. Just promise me if the waves come in again that you get your tail outta there. I'll try to find Slash from above." He stated.

"Will do, bud." Razor replied, sliding down the grappling rope from the jet to the rooftop. As T-Bone had anticipted, the waves rose again. T-Bone spotted them not a second after Razor.

"Buddy!" He exclaimed.

"Get clear, T-Bone!" Razor shouted.

"Stay alive, partner." T-Bone silently begged, reluctantly lifting from the rooftops to a safe altitude.

"I intend to." Razor replied.

"Watch out for Megakat Dam. It looks like it's bursting at the seams! Too much rainwater...get Slash and get your tail out of there as fast as you can. Rondezvous point: Penthouse. Got it?" T-Bone told him. Razor gave a nod down below.

"That's an affirmative, T-Bone." He responded. Slash groaned, lifting herself from the cold wet concrete. Her helmet was gone. Her black mask was soaked. She shivered, a striking pain shooting through her skull. The cyclotron lay crippled and dented some distance away. Slowly she stood up and stiffly limped out of the alley. Overhead series of lightning bolts cracked and split the dark sky. As she entered the street she was met with the sight of an oncoming wave. Quickly she darted back into the alley and pressed her back to the wall. The wave rocketted past. The structure of the buildings shuddered and concrete cracked in places along the ground and up the sides of the walls. Slash sighed with relief. Then with a powerful explosion a lightning surge took off the top a nearbly building.

"Hard Drive!" Slash hissed.

"Slash!" Slash heard someone call her name and turned to find Razor in full-gait towards her.

"We've got to get to higher ground. T-Bone said Megakat Dam's about to go!" Razor was shouting. It had barely registered to Slash before Razor grabbed her forearm and started leading her out of the alley as fast as they could run.

"What about Hard Drive?! He's wiping the whole bloody city clean off it's base!" Slash retorted, struggling to keep pace with Razor.

"Nothing we can do about it if we're dead, is there?" Razor replied. Slash decided that was sensible logic and increased her speed to stay with him. Razor pressed the intercom on his helmet.

"How's that dam looking up there, buddy?" He asked.

"Not good." T-Bone replied, flying in close to the dam before pulling up to get clear for safety's sake.

"I'd give it fifteen seconds, buddy. That's all this wall's got before it'll let go." He added.

"10-4. We're almost to the Penthouse." Razor answered. The rain pelted them as they ran. Lightning bolts split the dark night sky. Slash stumbled in the wind, falling to her knees on the wet concrete. Razor lifted her off the ground hastily and pulled her to the steps of the penthouse. The two burst into the building, throwing open the twin glass doors. The marble foir was empty. Chunks of ceiling lay in bits here and there.

"Miss Briggs?! Are you here?" Razor called. Slash limped over to a bench and collapsed into it.

"You okay?" Razor asked. Slash nodded.

"Stay here. I'll find Miss Briggs. _Don't get_ killed." Razor told her. With that he raced up the stairway to the next floor. The sound of a jet landing on a nearby roof followed. Slash looked up as T-Bone bolted into the penthouse. He was drenched from head to toe and breathing like a steam-engine.

"Where's Razor?" He panted. Slash pointed a finger upwards.

"Razor, did you find Callie?" T-Bone asked through the intercom in his helmet.

"Negative. T-Bone, I think Hard Drive's got her!" Razor responded. Panic mounted on T-Bone's expression.

"Slash, come with me! We gotta get Callie back from that weasel!" He shouted, charging out of the penthouse. Slash leaped up and ran after him.

"Where is he?" Slash asked as she caught up with him outside.

"He's heading west. Megakat Springs!" T-Bone replied, half speaking to her, and half to himself.

"Let's move!" He shouted over the wind. Slash took a deep breath and darted behind him. The tall gates surrounding MK Springs appeared. They bolted heedlessly through the open gates and into the grassy green landscape.

"Why the heck would Hard Drive go here?" Slash asked. T-Bone shook his head, still only partially listening to her.

"There he is!" Slash exclaimed. Hard Drive was racing across the hill, Callie under his arm. T-Bone clenched his fangs in anger.

"Watch my six, Slash. I'm taking this low-life down!" He growled, arming his glove-o-trix and charging across the field towards him. _He's open!_ _All I've gotta do is let him have it to the head..._

The ground shook suddenly like an earthquake as T-Bone darted to the edge of the MegaKat River, Slash right beside him. Hard Drive was just on the other side, smirking.

"You're too late, Swat Kat! Love is so predictable, isn't it? You fell right into my trap. There was nothing to it really. And now you and your precious Deputy Mayor will die!" Hard Drive sneered. The ground trembled violently.

"The resevoir!" Slash gasped. T-Bone looked up at the dam a distance away as an ear-splitting crack sounded. The dam split like an Easter egg and the whole thing blew wide open. Water gushed towards them like an inland tidal wave. Hard Drive smirked, grabbing onto the ladder of an overhead helicopter, taking Callie with him.

"Unfortunately, your allies aren't here to save you, but mine are." He jeered. The helicopter exited the oncoming distaster scene. T-Bone stared in horror as the massive wall of water charged like a speeding wave towards him. All at once it hit them, sweeping them uncontrollably into the river. The river swelled, over-filling with water. T-Bone struggled frantically for something to pull himself above the water, claws scrambling blindly. T-Bone's claws scraped against rock and he dug them in for dear life. With every straining muscle in his body he pulled himself up onto the near totally sumerged rock, slipping a bit as he dragged himself onto it.

"Slash!" He shouted in between boughts of coughing.

"Slash! Where are you?!" He screamed.

"T-Bone!" Came the faintest reply. Over the roar of the rushing water T-Bone managed to hear it. Slash must have been hanging on further down the river. T-Bone looked at the surging black water and cringed. It was a living nightmare. He couldn't do it, not again. He hesitated, realizing now that it wasn't a matter of what he could or couldn't do. Even if it killed him...

He took a long breath of air and dropped into the rapids.

He had to...

**Hopefully I will not be encouraged to play with character death in this story...**


	7. Chapter 7: Electric Shock

The cold rushing water numbed all senses. Suddenly T-Bone was at the water's mercy. It dragged him under and tossed him into the rocks as it carried him downstream. At long last he managed to surface, coughing impossible amounts of water and struggling to keep his head just barely clear of the surface. Water logged his throat, making it hard to breath.

"Slash!" He shouted, his voice cracking. The wild howled and moaned like the voice of a dying man. Rain pelted his face like bullets. T-Bone struggled frantically to keep his head above the water. His helmet was gone and the pouring torrents beat him as though trying to force him under. Half dog-paddling and half-drowning he was carried down the rushing river. The water forced him under for a moment. Then he would come up again, choking and coughing, open hands paddling madly until he was forced under again.

_I'm gonna die..._ T-Bone thought. His head dropped beneath the water once more. With a gasp he resurfaced, sputtering. Lightning split the sky overhead. With it sparked determination. _Fine, if I'm gonna die, I'm not goin out in vain..._

With a sudden burst of courage from the inner depths of his body his fight or flight syndrome kicked in. He lunged ahead through the water, heedless to the jarring rocks and sharp roots that tore through cloth and flesh alike.

"Slash!" His lungs bellowed with all their might. He couldn't hear a thing save the pouring rain and the thunder. The rushing of the waves and the howling wind even drowned that out. By some miracle T-Bone spotted a flash of bright blue. It registered as Slash's flight helmet. He rushed towards it like a missile through the water. The helmet sank beneath the surface and T-Bone followed right after it.

A few seconds passed beneath the rapids. Then T-Bone emerged from the water, the limp body of Slash held tightly in one arm. Reaching out with his other hand he grabbed the muddy bank, his hand sliding along it until he dug in his claws as deep as he could. The bank gave way. T-Bone managed to grab the out-hanging root that jutted from the bank, clenching it in his teeth. The water forced against him. He struggled to grab onto the grassy bank and haul Slash onto the solid ground. Then with every muscle straining in his body he pulled himself up onto the dry ground beside her.

With a watery groan Slash raised her head. Her vision blurred and swayed, but gradually she recognized T-Bone lying in an exhausted, panting pile beside her. Both of them felt and looked like drowned rats.

"T-Bone..." She wheezed, sitting up. T-Bone didn't respond as he was still trying to catch his breath. His fingertips ached where his claws had been yanked too far.

"Did you...swim...mate?" Slash asked. T-Bone's eyes widened behind his mask. He had, hadn't he? In spite of everything, he'd jumped into it head first. He smiled a bit, sighing heavily.

"Yeah...guess so." He replied.

"I hope you're good to go, mate, cause it looks like Hard Drive's making tracks for City Hall...!" Slash shouted frantically. T-Bone scrambled to a sitting position on the wet grass. Hard Drive's black helicopter was flying towards the massive tower, it's dark figure looming through the dark stormy sky.

"Crud! What's that freak tryin to do?" T-Bone exclaimed, getting to his feet. Slash stood up alongside him, the wind blowing her wet hair.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, we're gonna put an end to it!" She replied. She clenched her fists tightly and waited for T-Bone to respond. T-Bone never said a word. He darted off through the rain towards the exit of Megakat Springs. Slash sucked in a deep breath of air and followed him. T-Bone was sprinting now. Slash had never seen him run so fast. She hit the intercom button on her helmet.

"Razor, this is Slash. Do you copy?" She asked, still running hard. There was no response.

"Razor!" She exclaimed, trying again. It was no use. The systems were waterlogged.

"Crikey..." Slash hissed. She raced to keep T-Bone in sight. They skidded to a halt outside the front entrance of City Hall.

"He's way up there!" Slash panted. T-Bone bolted to the doors, yanking the handles. They rattled but wouldn't budge otherwise.

"Locked..." T-Bone said, cursing fiercely.

"Great...now what do we do, mate?" Slash inquired, a hand on her belt. T-Bone put his arm around her and aimed his glove-a-trix at the sky.

"We're going up!" He shouted. The glove-a-trix fired a grappling hook onto the ledge several hundred feet above them. Suddenly Slash was lifted off her feet, carried under

T-Bone's arm. She looked down over her shoulder at the ground below growing rapidly distant. She gasped in fright and rested her face against T-Bone's shoulder.

"Hang on, Slash!" T-Bone called to her. The rain pelted them as they climbed onto the narrow ledge. Slash put her arms around T-Bone's chest and hung on for dear life.

"If we fall...I'm gonna kill you..." She gasped. T-Bone launched another grappling hook at the very top of the tower. It looped around the spire and held tight. Once again they were lifted up towards the top of the tower. T-Bone timed his entrance at the right moment and swung himself and Slash in through the window.

"Hard Drive is one level above us. Come on!" He directed Slash. Slash raced out of the room and down the hall, T-Bone following in pursuit.

"I call the lift! You take the stairs." She called. T-Bone scowled, running beside her.

"Fine!" He replied, bursting through the door to the stairs and scaling them like a marathon competitor. Slash punched the upward arrow on the elevator and tapped her foot, puffing steam from her sprint down the hall. The door slid open and she rushed in as a mother and a kitten were coming out.

"Mummy! A swat kat!" Slash heard the kitten exclaim just before the elevator doors closed in. She waited as the elevator rose to it's destination. The music playing in the elevator was piercing.

"Thank the Maker for protective head-gear..." She muttered. The elevator chimed the door slid open. Slash ran down the empty hall and nearly collided with T-Bone.

"Where is he?" She asked. T-Bone shook his head.

"Haven't found that creep yet..." He replied, pushing on a door. He tried the knob.

"But this is the only door on this level that's locked...and I'm sure I saw him come in this way. He's in here." He explained.

"No time for knockin. I'm busting in!" He shouted, backing Slash to a safe distance with a hand. With a fierce yell he kicked the door squarely in the center and the whole thing gave way. Slash charged in, glove-a-trix armed. T-Bone did the same as her, though far more aggressively.

"Let the Deputy Mayor go you low-life!" He growled. Hard Drive simply smirked and pointed an electrified finger at Callie's unconscious face.

"You're in no position to bargain with me, swat kat!" He responded.

"Look you hood...-!"

"-Not another step! Or I'll blow your deputy mayor's pretty little head off this minute!" Hard Drive warned. Suddenly a figure flew in outside the window behind Hard Drive. The glass shattered and the red and blue figure of Razor careened into Hard Drive's back with both feet first. Hard Drive was thrown to the floor, as was Callie. Razor swept her up from the floor.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked T-Bone.

"Yeah...but I coulda taken him." T-Bone replied. Razor looked down at Callie. No one could see the worry in his eyes that was concealed behind his mask. Callie stirred ever so slightly and lightly moaned. Her sea-green eyes slipped open. Razor blinked, a smile rising on his face.

"You alright, Miss Briggs?" He asked. Callie nodded. Razor helped her stand and she brushed herself off.

"Thanks, Razor. I owe you one." She told him, adjusting her glasses.

"You don't have to owe me anything, Miss Briggs. Just your spare time and..." Razor replied, shaking his head. Callie met his gaze and nodded knowingly. A smile affected her lips. Then the smile faded to a pale, frightened grimace as Hard Drive groaned and rose from the floor.

"I may be down, but I'm not out! You _will_ fail!" Hard Drive shouted. A blast of electricity launched from his hands. T-Bone moved like lightning, plunging into Hard Drive and knocking him down. The blast of electricity struck the ceiling instead.

"Razor! Get Callie outta here!" T-Bone shouted. Hard Drive hit him with a solid fist to the neck and T-Bone dropped, but not for long. The now furious brown-striped tabby threw himself at Hard Drive and clutched him by the throat. Hard Drive dug his claws into T-Bone's arms, running them through his skin until blood streamed from the crimson scars they'd made. T-Bone's fangs were clenched against the pain as sweat ran down his face. His grip on Hard Drive was failing. Hard Drive felt it and sent a kick to his opponent's chest. T-Bone folded in and stumbled back.

Hard Drive was relentless as he drove at T-Bone. T-Bone saw him coming in time to kick him in the side and bring him down. Hard Drive lay gasping in pain on the floor as T-Bone darted out of the room after Razor and Slash. He met them at the bottom level.

"Get Callie as far away from here as you can until they can lock up this guy!" He exclaimed.

"T...! You're bleeding." Slash gasped.

"Don't mind me. Get her to safety! Now!" T-Bone shouted, pointing to the doorway. Razor, led Callie to the glass doors just as the elevator blew wide open. Hard Drive limped into the lobby, breathing heavily. Electricity buzzed around his fists.

"Go!" T-Bone shouted to the three who were staring in fixated horror at Hard Drive. Razor grabbed Callie by the arm and pulled her towards the doors. Slash followed after them. T-Bone turned and realized Hard Drive's electrified finger was aiming for Callie. His fists clenched. He dove at Hard Drive in blind rage, screaming bloody murder. He grasped Hard Drive's wrist in his hand. Hard Drive smirked.

"It's about time I got rid of this pest." He noted cruelly. Before T-Bone could register the action Hard Drive blasted a lightning bolt from his knuckles. At close proximity the blast struck T-Bone squarely in the chest, blowing him backward head over heels. He landed limply in a twisted position on the floor, both of his hands clutching his chest as electricity surged through his body, causing him to shudder with every pulse.

"You're helpless, swat kat, and now I'm going to destroy everything you hold dear..."

T-Bone's vertigo swayed. The lights faded. Everything was cold as death.


	8. Chapter 8: Is That All I Am?

Slash caught a glimpse through the corner of her eye the flash of lightning and the red and blue figure that crumbled to the floor. On her heel she wheeled around, eyes glaring fire into Hard Drive.

"You...you bloody drongo!" She screamed. Her hand grabbed a boomergang from her belt and let it fly. It sliced across Hard Drive's temple as it sailed past. Hard Drive chuckled as the boomerang embedded into the wall. His laugh was cut short as another boomerang nearly took off his mohawk. He ducked under it and rose to his feet, avading another boomerang to his left and ducking beneath a fourth.

Slash ran at him. The boomerangs flew like hailstones. When she ran out of boomerangs she began launching the mini-cement-launchers from her glove-a-trix. Hard Drive took a hit left and right until finally the cement wads had him pinned to the wall. He pulled against them, but in vain. Slash stormed up to him, claws raised.

"I swear, you filth, I'll tear you open and string you up by your whiskers!" She hissed, slashing her claws across Hard Drive's face. Hard Drive's honey-gold eyes were round and wide as he gasped.

"Leave me alone! I regret it all! I take it back! Just get your claws off me!" He exclaimed. Slash bit her lip, scowling as she glared into his eyes.

"You dirty liar..." She muttered. In a flash she clutched his throat and crushed the cylinder bones in her hand until Hard Drive's eyes slipped closed and he went limp in her grasp. She let the villain fall to the floor. Hard Drive wasn't dead, only unconcious. It wasn't Slash's way to take a life.

"Scum..." Slash hissed. She soundlessly walked over to T-Bone and, with a hand on his arm, turned him onto his back. T-Bone was barely concious, his teeth clenched in a painful grimace. His hands clutched tightly at the reddish black wound, visible through the burnt flight suit. Slash gently rested T-Bone's head in her lap and stroked his mask.

"You okay, mate?" She whispered. T-Bone winced, unable to nod.

"Never better..." He muttered, cringing as a surge shot through him. Slash moved T-Bone's hands aside and examined the dark, bloody burn. She sighed.

"At least it missed your heart, or we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." She noted. That caused T-Bone to smile a bit. Then it faded.

"Is Callie okay?" He asked. Slash looked downcast for two seconds. Then she nodded, forcing a smile.

"She's fine, mate. Razor got her to safety." She replied.

"And Hard Drive...?" T-Bone inquired. He shuddered as the electric pulse shot through his body again.

"He's out cold." Slash responded.

"We've gotta get you to a hospital, mate. You're hurt worse than you think." She added. T-Bone started to get up.

"No, I'm fine. I can-..." He was cut short as the elecricity shocked through his system like a heavy pulse. An agonised scream escaped him before the room faded out to darkness and he collapsed again. He wasn't out of it though. The pain burned like fire. His pulse was a mallet in his chest. He wished he would just pass out, but he stayed concious. He grimaced, groaning against the pain.

"My point exactly." Slash stated. T-Bone couldn't reply. To his horror, his hands, clutching his chest twitched involuntarily. Inwardly he was scared out of his wits, more than of water.

"Okay...okay" He wheezed. He shifted a little onto his side. Suddenly the pain was intense. T-Bone screamed uncontrollably and got his wish as he passed out on the spot.

"Where is he? Slash? What happened?" Razor burst into the medical room, asking a hundred questions. Slash looked up from her seat beside the hospital bed and put a rough finger to her mouth.

"Shut it, mate!" She whispered, motioning her head towards T-Bone. Razor silently walked around the end of the bed to the side, kneeling to his knees on the floor. He clasped T-Bone's hand in his own and rested his forehead against it. Somehow he felt responible for this. This was his partner. Where had Razor been when his own partner was struck down?

Razor abandonned his dignity and sobbed like a kitten into T-Bone's clenched hand. Slash didn't blame him for it. She knew how close the two friends were. If either one of them were hurt, the other would always feel the guilts for it.

"I'm so sorry, Chance..." Slash heard Razor whisper. She had to bite her lip as her heart clenched. Her tough exterior was slowly being breached. She stood up.

"I'll give you two some time." She told Razor as she stepped out. Outside in the hallway she found Callie sitting dejectedly on the wagon-red bench. She slipped onto the seat beside her, bent in poor posture over her legs and folded her hands between her knees. She stared blankly at the checkered floor.

"I don't believe it..." Callie spoke. Slash raised her head.

"What's that, mate?"

"Razor told me everything..."

Slash's eyes grew wide behind her mask.

"It's alright, you can trust me." Callie assured her slowly.

"So, you know?" Slash asked. Callie nodded, her green eyes closed.

"All that time that I brushed Chance off...He's a hero, Baylee. I never saw it..." She stated.

"I'm sure he won't hold it against you." Slash replied.

"But, how do I tell him...that I...I love Razor?" Callie asked. Slash blinked. Romance and its crazy whims were not down her alley.

"...I...don't know, Callie." She replied softly. When she looked up agaqin Callie was staring at her.

"You like him, don't you?" She inquired.

"What...? Who?"

"Chance. I've seen the way you're always trying to be beside him, always right by his side, and the other day in the ice cream shop..."

"Doesn't mean anything..."

Callie just smiled at her. She raised a brow.

"Let's go in." She suggested. Slash didn't argue. The two got up and slipped into the room. Razor looked up as they entered. There were traces of tears on his face, traces that he quickly mopped away with his sleeve as Callie approached. Slash came alongside the bed and stroked T-Bone's striped arm. The only thing he wore was his mask and a pair of briefs. He was covered in a blanket as far as his hips. Bound around his chest was a bandage. Slash's breath caught in her throat. Her tough tom kat looked pale against the hospital sheets.

Hard Drive was in custody of the Enforcers, but Slash couldn't help but long for revenge. Now T-Bone groaned faintly and ever so slightly Slash saw his eyes open. T-Bone clenched his eyes shut against the painfully bright light and sighed through his teeth.

"Baylee..." He moaned. Slash held his wrist.

"Right here, mate. We all are." She replied, motioning with a jerk of her head to Jake and Callie. T-Bone put a hand to his head.

"What...happened? How'd I end up here...? And...what the heck...w-where'd my clothes go...?" He asked. Razor and Callie laughed a little.

"You're at Megakat General Hospital, buddy. How're you doing?" Razor replied. T-Bone groaned, lightly masaging the bandages.

"Feels like I got stabbed with a 6-foot scimitar..." He muttered. Slash wondered if there even _was _such a utility of cuttlery as that.

"Well...I'm glad to hear that you're okay..." Callie replied timidly.

"Something wrong, Miss Briggs...?" T-Bone asked. Callie bit her lip and nodded. Her chin trembled.

"It's...I'm...I'm sorry, Chance! All this time...I had no idea. You were just trying to be nice to me. You saved my life...I'm just...so sorry..." She blurted.

"Chance?" T-Bone repeated, shooting a look at Jake. Jake gave a nod.

"You told her." T-Bone realized. He looked to Callie and sighed.

"Well...you didn't know." He replied. _I was just another oaf drooling after you. I guess up till now, that's all I ever was to you...Good to know..._

**It crushes my soul...I thought this would be a good note to end the story on, tugging on your heart-strings...NO! JUST KIDDING! THERE IS MORE!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Dive

Chance slipped his light blue t-shirt over his head and built up the confidence to undo the bandages around his chest. The doctor had informed him this morning that they could come off. He'd been putting it off doing it. Now he carefully undid the gauze tape and slowly unraveled it. Hesitantly he faced the mirror. His breath stopped in his throat as he stifled a gasp. The wound in his chest had been stitched together for about a month. They'd just come out two weeks ago. The only traces of their previous existence was the nasty scar that cut diagonally through Chance's fur.

Chance turned around and looked nervously over his shoulder. The blast had been through and through. As Chance examined the similar scar on his back he wondered how he'd even survived. It must have been Slash's quick action in getting him medical attention. A smile perked on his face. Outside the bathroom a fist of knuckles wrapped against the closed door.

"Everything okay in there, pal?" Jake called.

"Yeah. 'Be right out." Chance replied. Quickly he pulled his swimming shorts around his waist and yanked the drawstring tightly. Then, making a quick sweep of the room to be sure he wasn't leaving anything behind he slipped out the door.

Callie, Jake, and Baylee all looked up in unison at him as he entered the living room of Callie's apartment. Chance suddenly felt self-conscious as Callie's eyes darted right to his scar. He turned a bit to the left to hide it.

"Ready?" He asked, forcing a smile.

"Hey, if you are." Jake responded, cheerfully giving Chance a thumbs-up. The four of them rode the elevator to the last floor and entered the pool-room two on two. Callie linked arms with Jake. She sighed. Why was this so hard? How could she tell Chance how she felt without hurting him? Jake seemed to read her emotions like a book. When Callie raised her head she found him watching her. There was worry and concern in Jake's emerald eyes.

Callie just shook her head, her blonde waves falling around her shoulders. Jake held her gentle hand as they walked to the edge of the pool. Near the side they sat down, danging their feet in the cool water.

"Something's bothering you..." Jake told Callie. Callie stared at the ripples in the water.

"It's about Chance." She admitted.

"What about...?" Jake asked comfortingly.

"I know that he likes me, but...I can't...Jake, all I want is you. How do I tell him without hurting him?" Callie confessed. She felt something warm cover her hand. Jake was holding her hand in his own.

"He'll manage, Callie, especially if he has someone to lean on, even just a friend." He explained.

"You mean, you?" Callie asked, brushing her hair aside with her hand.

"Me, and Baylee..." Jake hinted. Callie looked to where Baylee was watching Chance with admiration where the two stood talking a distance away. Callie smiled, nodding to Jake.

"You're a genius, Jake." She told him. Jake blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well..." He said, grinning nervously. Callie got to her feet.

"Thanks." She replied. Jake gave a single dip of his head. He stood up and went over to Chance.

"Hey, buddy. Wanna get used to the water?" He offered. Chance hesitated, then grinned.

"Right behind you." He replied. The two jumped into the shallow end.

"Well, well. Looks like Chance got over his fear of water." Callie remarked, coming alongside Baylee. Baylee nodded. She looked soberly at the concrete.

"You know, nothing's holding you back. You should tell him." Callie told her. Baylee looked up in surprise.

"I know...I'm just...scared..." She replied.

"Of what?" Callie asked, raising a brow.

"I dunno...being rejected."

Callie smiled a little.

"You never know until you try it." She replied. Baylee's mouth curved upwards in a smile.

"Fair dinkum." She replied. Callie gave a nod and jumped into the water. She'd allow Baylee some time to talk to Chance.

"Hey Jake! Last one to the eleven feet buys the other a soda." She challenged. Jake's competitive grin appeared.

"Challenge accepted." He replied.

"Ready! Go!" Callie exclaimed. As the two splashed away to the other end of the pool Baylee waded up to Chance.

"Hey."

Wasn't a bad start. So far so good. Chance met her gaze and gave an upward nod.

"This isn't another swim lesson is it?" He asked. Baylee took a deep breath.

"You know how scared you are just before you dive? The adrenaline rush? ...I'm feeling it."

Chance chuckled as Baylee blushed.

"So...what are trying to say?" He inquired. Baylee rose up and looked Chance in the eye.

"Chance...you're my adrenaline rush. And...I really...I just, want to be...your...t-the wind beneath your wings...if you know what I mean..." She cringed inwardly. Chance was bound to think she was a lousy sap. Instead he just blushed and looked awkwardly at the surface of the water.

"I...kind of suspected." He replied. Baylee stood there like an idiot, hands clasped at her waist and a nervous smile on her face.

"And I know this sounds crazy...but despite...everything...I mean, I know Callie likes Jake. It hurts...but, hey, I've survived electric shock -thanks to you. I think I can handle it, if you're there." Chance responded.

"So...what are you saying...?" Baylee asked. Chance gave her a side-ways glance, a smile on his face.

"I like you too, aussie." He replied. Baylee couldn't contain her enthusiasm. Suddenly she didn't know what to do. She didn't have to do anything. Chance nudged her in the shoulder.

"First one to the other side wins?" He suggested. Baylee grinned.

"You're on." She replied.

"The loser has to sit through a whole hour of _Scaredy Kat_." Chance suggested.

"Or _Kaptain Koru_." Baylee added. Chance groaned.

"Guess I'd better not lose..."

"Three, two one! Go!"

**Please review! Let me know what you think. Currently new stories are in process. I **_**might**_** have a poll since I have lots of ideas and can't decide. So it's up to my readers. **


End file.
